Dame Sharon White, chairman of the John Lewis Partnership, has said no decisions have yet been made on specific stores but that ‘financial modelling’ is taking place.
Shoppers have since appealed to bosses to keep Sheffield's branch off any potential list of closures. Here are 14 photos that demonstrate the shop’s importance and long history.
13. Tribute from her home city
A 50ft poster of Jessica Ennis-Hill was displayed on the John Lewis building when she competed in the 2012 Olympics. Photo: PA
14. Bringing things up to date
The store as it is today. Sheffield was to get another, brand new John Lewis shop on Wellington Street as part of the Sevenstone development that stalled during the last recession - the partnership then decided to stay put in Barker's Pool and Sevenstone's successor, the less retail-focused Heart of the City II, is being built around it. Photo: JPIMedia